"I said that I would comment when the three pending investigations are completed. That was not accurately portrayed in the newscast," Soglin said.

Officer Stephen Heimsness is the subject of three internal investigations of conduct that occurred before his involvement in the Nov. 9 shooting of Paul Heenan, according to the police department.

Heimsness was cleared of wrongdoing in the fatal shooting, and Chief Noble Wray has said the additional probes are not related to the shooting.

Soglin declined to reveal why the three pending investigations are keeping him from commenting.

He would not say whether he supported a review panel such as the one Knoxville uses, and said he didn't know enough to comment about the legislative efforts of Rep. Garey Bies, R-Sister Bay.

Bies said he is working on a bill to be introduced this fall that would create a statewide mandate for how officer-involved shootings are investigated.

"I think the perception thing comes in, especially when you have one agency investigating themselves," said Bies, a 30-year veteran of the Door County Sheriff's Department. "You've got to have some independence."

Amelia and Nathan Royko Maurer, Paul Heenan's former roommates, said they will continue to fight to have police reopen their friend's case.